Project Spotlight: Remainders Creative Reuse
Remainders Creative Reuse, a 6000 square foot arts and crafts thrift store in Pasadena, diverts materials from landfills while providing inexpensive supplies and inspiration to artists of all ages and experience levels. They also host classes and other programs, curated by Rhizomatic Arts community member TOBAN NICHOLS, who says, “My art practice feeds into my work at Remainders and vice versa… It’s the mix I’ve always dreamed of, and the freedom I hoped I would someday have.”
WHAT IS REMAINDERS CREATIVE REUSE & HOW DID IT COME TO BE?
Started in 2018 as a weekly garage sale in our Executive Director’s garage, Remainders is now a full 501c3 nonprofit creative space and arts & crafts thrift store. We are focused on creative reuse and sustainability in our 6000 sq. ft. space located in Pasadena, California. Thousands of pounds of usable materials are diverted from landfills because households and businesses have donated to us. Our creative space has hosted many intergenerational workshops, bringing together a diverse group of people to learn from each other. By recycling and promoting creative reuse of materials, Remainders helps people contribute to the healing of the environment and raises awareness about the benefit of upcycling raw materials and repurposing usable goods, as opposed to buying these materials new.
HOW CAN ARTISTS ENGAGE WITH REMAINDERS?
Every week, we take in hundred of pounds of art and craft material, sewing notions and fabric, and other tools of an artist’s trade along with many other things I could only classify as “random but useful” at our donation center in the back of the building. We loosely organize and process those materials and place them out on the sales floor for teachers, students, and artists to sift through and find. Our motto is “it’s here somewhere” and that is quite true, any number of things an artist might need can be found here at the store. That often leads an artist down a path of discovery and inspiration in what we refer to as “the treasure hunt”. I’ve seen inspiration strike many times: someone comes here looking for canvas and leaves with a giant disco ball covered in fur. It’s the way this place works and it’s pretty magical (but I kinda hate that word).
Another way we engage artists of all levels is through our classes and workshops, which now take place almost every day of the week. We have easy to learn, low expectation classes as well as longer, more intense workshops where students and artists can learn a number of new things. We are always on the hunt for new teachers with new ideas and expertise to teach with us.
The sales floor at Remainders Creative Reuse, a 6000 square foot arts and crafts thrift store in Pasadena, CA.
WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AT REMAINDERS, AND WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THIS WORK?
I came to Remainders back in the old days when there was a small storefront on Walnut Street. I was looking for a small piece of fabric for a project and didn’t want to go to somewhere like Joann’s where i’d have to buy at least a yard. It seemed wasteful and cost prohibitive and Remainders had scraps and small pieces of fabric so it made sense to go there. I met the owner (who is now the Executive Director), Robin Cox, and we hit it off and I loved the store. It was a treasure trove of wonderful things. From there Robin gave me sewing lessons so I could become better at making my art and a friendship blossomed. I started teaching a couple of classes in the small workspace and when the store moved to the gigantic space it’s in now, she needed a seasoned teacher to not only teach classes but also put together the curriculum among other things, so I became the Director of Education and now after a few years I’m the Director of Education and Development. All of this because I needed a scrap of fabric. It’s been truly wonderful.
Toban Nichols is Director of Education and Development at Remainders Creative Reuse.
WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB?
What I love most is that I can merge my creative life with my work life. My art practice feeds into my work at Remainders and vice versa. I am able to be creative and have creative hours in a super inspirational environment with a ton of space and materials while also finishing up writing curriculum or prepping for an offsite event. It’s the mix I’ve always dreamed of, and the freedom I hoped I would someday have. Being around creative folks all the time also is very important to me. When I left graduate school I began to really miss the connection comraderie of other artists, I now have that again and it’s something I really treasure and hold dear.
WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS AT REMAINDERS?
My vision is to keep growing. We spent a few years in obscurity just trying like Sisyphus to get the word out about sustainability and our practice to pass on needed materials to those in need. Recently things have picked up greatly, we’re busy all the time, classes are full and we’re keeping thousands of pounds of stuff out of the landfil.
I’m still constantly shocked by the way we’ve finally broken through and are making a difference in people’s lives and in our surrounding community. All I want for the future is to keep spreading our fingers out into the community and greater LA area so people know there is an alternative to throwing away things you don’t want and also a way to learn new things without the stress and bank-breaking strain of getting materials you need. But I’m also sure that what comes next is probably something i’m not expecting and I’m excited about what that might be.
